text:
CENTER CITY (WPVI) -- We're getting our first look inside a $500 million development, located right in the heart of Center City Philadelphia.
The East Market development takes up an entire city block between Market and Chestnut, from 11th to 12th Streets. It's a combination of retail and residential spaces, and developers hope it will boost tourism in the city.
For decades people have looked at Market East as a troubled no-man's land. A place to walk past, and not stop. But that's about to change.
Now, the thinking is it can become a desirable destination.
Workers started today below what will be the ground floor of the operation. 350 cubic yards of concrete was poured into the sub-foundations of the East Market project.
It's a $500 million bet that millennials will continue to want to work, live and play in Center City.
Among its attributes, a 17-story residential tower with 332 units, digital signage, an upscale organic market, and many shops and restaurants.
Longtime neighbors with their own stores know that they'll have to put up with construction noise and dust in the short-term, but like the idea of the upscale population the development will bring.
Frank Greene from Look At Me Now Barbershop & Salon says, "It's a good thing. Right now it's a little bit of a bad thing because of the dust. But we're looking for the new business to come into the community. We've been here nine years. We're very experienced, we're very diverse, we do a lot of haircuts here. The community is nice."
Mason Wartman from Rosa's Fresh pizza tells us, "It's a good thing. More people in the area, definitely helping business. And it's definitely better than what's there now. So, I'm excited."
This is going to be a big undertaking. The project could take four to six years to complete. Although, they're saying they hope to have their first retail and residential parts in operation by next year.
Concrete poured at $500 million East Market development
More TOP STORIES News


text:
Skin care experts Biotherm are encouraging more men and women to have their skin tested.
There is a minefield of different types and textures of products available and picking the right one is never easy. But now, clients can visit the Biotherm counter to take a free electronic Bioscan test which measures levels of moisture, oils and other elements in the skin.
Brian Williams, UK training director on the Bioscan, said: "The Bioscan is the latest skin testing tool from Biotherm that reads your oil, elasticity and hydration levels in just 30 seconds.
"You may feel healthy inside but your skin could be telling a different story, the Bioscan will help to determine which products work with your skin to give you the ultimate healthy glow." The popular brand has created a number of new products ideal for the effects the summer weather can have on all different types of skin.
The Multi Recharge new energising moisturiser with SPF15 is perfect for protecting while energising and rehydrating. They have also developed a Resculpt range for the body which targets women hoping to regain tone and shape.
And if you want healthy-looking tanned skin, Biotherm's Summer Source gradual tanners are a must have.
To have a free Bioscan test and consultation with a skin care expert, visit the Biotherm counter at Boots, Eldon Square and MetroCentre.

domain: news


text:
23 Jun 2017 Fanta’s clever new asymmetric bottle a world-first
Fanta is the UK’s favourite fruit-flavoured sparkling soft drink. And this year, the brand has been transformed – with a new look and logo and an industry-first bottle design across the whole Fanta range. Plus a new reduced-sugar recipe for Fanta Orange.
Almost two years in the making, the Fanta bottle is an eye-catching industry first – featuring a revolutionary spiral design, twisted to create a unique, eye-catching shape.
There is more pressure in a bottle that holds a carbonated beverage than there is in a car tire. Thus, symmetry in the design is incredibly important. If the bottle becomes even slightly off kilter, sections will pop out or deform—rendering the packaging useless.
Fanta and its parent company, Coca-Cola, found this out pretty quickly when the designers at London agency DrinkWorks proposed the cute idea of making a spiral bottle that would make the orange beverage look fresh squeezed.
This was back in 2012. Yes, it took five more years to get the bottle to store shelves.
“The process of designing a bottle like this is very, very restrictive,” says Gregory Bentley, packaging innovator at Coca-Cola Great Britain. “We have multimillion-pound bottling production lines to think about. You’re working within a pre-agreed tube shape—if you pull capacity from one point, you need to add it in to another.
“You can’t take it out, without adding it in elsewhere. And of course, with a carbonated drink, the bottle has to be symmetrical, or it’ll bend.”
“How people interact with a product is where we start a project,” says Leyton Hardwick, creative director at DrinkWorks, “We got young people in a room, gave them fruit, carving kits, plasticine, play-do, pens, paper, told them to just play—make a mess! Observing people do what comes naturally when they’re thinking of a drink and oranges like this was incredibly insightful.”
Fanta loved the spiral idea. “The reality from the start, was that we all knew which one we wanted. We all had the same favorite. The problem was, there were just so many layers of people who said it couldn’t work,” says Bentley.
Eventually they found a way to make the design work. The bottle is now sold in the UK, Italy, Poland, Malta, Serbia, Finland and Romania, with plans to expand production globally.
Read more about the making of the bottle here.
New reduced sugar recipe
To make sure Fanta Orange tastes as good as it looks, a new Fanta Orange recipe has been developed with a third less sugar compared to before. This builds on the 33% reduction from 2006 and brings the sugar content down to 4.6g per 100ml.
“As well as a new visual identity, we’ve been working hard to reduce the sugar without compromising on the taste,” says Aedamar Howlett, Marketing director of Coca-Cola Great Britain.
“We’re delighted to be launching this new look alongside a new recipe with a third less sugar than before – which consumers have told us tastes better than ever.”
The Coca-Cola Company first launched Fanta in Italy in 1955 quickly becoming a firm favourite around the world. The new logo was created using hand-cut paper and transformed into a digital design to depict movement and spontaneity.
With its straight lines and angled letters, the new logo has a bold energy which reflects the Fanta brand’s fruity, fun and vibrant nature. And it even contains a hidden smile.
Source: AdWeek. com; Coca-Cola


text:
New Crypto Adoption Data Says 14,113 Businesses Accept Bitcoin Compared to 1,789 in December 2013
Bitcoin has recently been placed under the microscope by various social media trends as well as by global financial institutions.
The crypto, which also happens to be the largest in the world has been placed under a spotlight by various individuals and entities despite the fact that it has been significantly affected by the ongoing bear market. For instance, Jack Dorsey, the Twitter CEO recently referred to Bitcoin as the official internet legal tender.
BTC enthusiasts will be glad to learn that its global adoption rate continues to increase with each passing year. Coinmap recently charted data that pointed out the fact that the total number of venues which accept bitcoin as a payment method has risen by up to 702% since the early days of December 2013.
As a cryptocurrency, this is quite a fete and is indicative of the journey that it has undertaken since it was launched. A heat map was recently launched to track and map the number of venues that accept crypto payments across the globe.
In the map, you can see that there is an overall increase in the total number of venues and businesses that have legally started accepting crypto payments across the world. As of December 2018, the venues accepting Bitcoin payments across the world stood at an impressive 14,113.
By the end of 2013, the number of entities accepting Bitcoin payments across the world stood at 1,789. Based on these figures, it means that percentage wise, the entities accepting Bitcoin have increased by an impressive 702.35%.
You should note much of the growth can be seen in businesses and organizations that have agreed to trade their wares and services in exchange for Bitcoin coins based on total market capitalizations. These are sectors that have recorded exponential growth and have in the past five years displayed big BTC surges.
South America happens to be the one part of the world where there has been a dramatic rise in the number of entities accepting this cryptocurrency. Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela have been leading the other nations in South America in adopting Bitcoin payments.
However, the heat map also suggests that many areas in South East Asia and in China are yet to formally adopt this cryptocurrency. This is something that may have been influenced by the strict regulations put in place by countries in this region pertaining the use and adoption of cryptocurrency.


text:
The Vietnamese hot rolled coil market is seeing an uptick in prices, Kallanish notes. Chinese HRC prices have gone up and local producer Formosa Ha Tinh (FHS)’s latest domestic prices are providing some support to the market.
Chinese 2mm and up thickness SAE 1006 HRC offers are prevailing at $560/tonne cfr Vietnam, Vietnamese trading sources. A popular Chinese mill’s offer for 50% 2mm thickness and the rest above 2mm thickness was pegged on Friday morning at $560/t cfr Ho Chih Minh (HCM)/Hai Phong port, for January 2023 shipment. Chinese SAE 1006 HRC offers were previously at $550-560/t cfr on 11 November. Offers had sunk to recent lows of $500-510/t cfr in early November.
A Vietnamese trader hears that a leading re-roller in southern Vietnam ordered 10,000 tonnes of Taiwanese SAE 1006 2mm and up thickness HRC at $550/t cfr on 17 November. However, others did not hear of the deal and expressed surprise about it taking place. The buyer would be better off buying FHS's material, they explain.
“I wonder why they didn’t book FHS to avoid any exchange rate change,” a trader in HCM says. FHS announced on 17 November that its sales price for non-skin-passed SAE 1006 HRC will be set at the equivalent of $550/t cfr Vietnam. Freight to Ho Chi Minh is $10/t, trading sources say. “If the Taiwanese mill gave thin gauges in the cargo, then the deal is possible,” a trader in Hanoi says. He believes demand from re-rollers is returning. While inventories for SS400 grade HRC are still high, SAE 1006 HRC stocks are "so-so”.
"I have my doubts," a regional trader says. He also believes that for the Taiwanese HRC deal to take place, it would have to involve "thin sizes and odd width, otherwise they can buy Formosa”. Imported HRC may be priced $10/t lower than local strip in order to make import deals workable.
The regional trader and others hear that FHS sold large export tonnages of HRC to India and the EU at around $510-520/t fob during the week ending 11 November. The mill’s new target export price is at $530-535/t fob, the Hanoi trader says.
Kallanish assessed SAE grade 2-2.7mm thickness HRC at $530-540/t cfr Vietnam, up $10 on-week.
More free articles from our archive
More Global Prices
Take a Free trial
Get daily steel news redirect to your inbox each day,
along with prices.


text:
— A GM vacuum pump recall for more than 3.4 million SUVs and trucks has been issued in the U.S. because brake assist could be lost and drivers could experience hard brake pedals and longer stopping distances.
The General Motors vacuum pump recall includes these models in the U.S.
- 2015-2017 Cadillac Escalade
- 2014-2018 Chevrolet Silverado
- 2014-2018 GMC Sierra
- 2015-2018 Chevrolet Suburban
- 2015-2018 Chevrolet Tahoe
- 2015-2018 GMC Yukon
The vacuum pump recall was announced for 3,456,111 vehicles in the U.S. about two months after a similar recall was announced for about 300,000 Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC vehicles in Canada.
The U.S. recall also follows a federal investigation opened in November 2018 due to complaints about vehicles losing their ability to properly brake because of the vacuum pumps.
GM says at least 110 crashes and 13 injuries have allegedly been caused by the engine-mounted mechanical vacuum pump output decreasing over time. Drivers will notice hard brake pedals, longer stopping distances and likely see a “Service brake assist” alert that will activate 2 to 5 minutes after the vacuum level drops.
The automaker says the problem begins with the vacuum pump which is lubricated with engine oil that flows into the pump through a filter screen. Oil sludge can build up on the filter screen and block the flow of oil into the vacuum pumps and reduce the vacuum pressure.
GM says failing to change the oil as recommended can contribute to the problems by allowing debris to turn into sludge.
The automaker also says the vehicles have secondary hydraulic power brake assist systems that activate to provide power brake assist if the vacuum drops. However, the hydraulic brake boost is limited when the vehicles are traveling at lower speeds.
In addition to longer stopping distances, hard brake pedals and warning messages, a driver may feel vibration in the brake pedal and hear a ticking noise coming from the engine compartment.
General Motors doesn't know when the vacuum pump recall will begin, but dealerships will need to reprogram the electronic brake control modules.
Truck and SUV owners may contact Chevrolet at 800-630-2438, Cadillac at 800-458-8006 or GMC customer service at 800-462-8782.
GM's vacuum pump recall number is N192268490.
CarComplaints.com has owner-reported complaints about the vehicles named in the pump recall.
Read what drivers tell CarComplaints.com about the GM vehicles.


text:
Flash Japan PMI shows severe downturn persisting into July
- Flash Japan PMI rises from 40.8 to 43.9 in July but signals further steep drop in output
- Downturn remains broad-based despite easing COVID-19 measures
- Job losses intensify, with employment decline among fastest since 2010
- Business expectations turn increasingly negative
Japanese business activity contracted further in July, according to flash PMI data, adding to concerns about the depth of the economic downturn and recovery speed relative to other countries as conditions remain challenging for many manufacturing and service sector companies due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses continued to be adversely impacted in particular by subdued global trade flows and restrictions on travel, while the gradual reopening of the economy provided only a modest boost to demand.
The likelihood of a robust recovery remains uncertain as Japanese firms continued to be pessimistic about the business outlook, with international trade remaining subdued while rising unemployment may hit domestic household income and spending in coming months.
Weak start to third quarter
The headline au Jibun Bank flash Composite PMI, compiled by IHS Markit and based on 85-90% of responses received from the monthly surveys, rose further from 40.8 to 43.9 in July, its highest since February. However, the latest figure, which measures activity levels at both manufacturing and service sector companies, remained well below 50 and signalled a further marked decline in private sector output at the start of the third quarter.
The PMI for Japan is also lagging that of other countries: the comparable global PMI for all countries excluding Japan had already risen to 48.5 by June with the PMI for the developed world up to 46.9.
Having sunk to an unprecedented low in April amid enforced emergency measures to contain the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, Japan's PMI has regained some ground but continued to indicate a downturn at the start of the third quarter. Companies reported that the weakening of demand persisted into July despite the recent easing of COVID-19 restrictions and parts of the economy reopening. The need to maintain social distancing rules and border restrictions in the absence of an effective vaccine continued to hinder a swift turnaround in the Japanese economy.
Companies also continued to report reduced inflows of new business, particularly from overseas. These firms consequently hold back on hiring and investment due to the uncertainty of the economic outlook, with concerns about a resurgence of new infections in Japan and globally. Falling profits and renewed US-China trade tensions were also worries highlighted by companies.
Broad-based decline in activity
Manufacturing production continued to lead the decline in July. While not as severe as in recent months, the rate of contraction was substantial overall once again. The reduction of output was linked to weakening demand for Japanese manufactured goods both at home and abroad, as reflected by a further severe drop in new orders.
In services, the resumption of business operations was insufficient to lift overall output as services activity declined for a sixth straight month in July. This was accompanied by a further fall in new sales, led by export orders dropping substantially again.
Job losses intensify
With the downturn extending into the third quarter, Japan's labour market continued to deteriorate. Survey data showed employment continuing to fall during July, with the rate of job shedding intensifying from June, led by a sharper drop in manufacturing jobs. Anecdotal evidence showed that the drop in employment was primarily driven by firms seeking to reduce costs not choosing to renew contracts.
Outlook remains dim
The recent improvements in the PMI data add to signs that the worst of the initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic was seen in April, but the strength of the recovery remains disappointingly weak compared to other economies. The survey data also suggest that much of the recent gains reflect pent-up demand as businesses returned to work rather than a robust improvement in underlying demand. This paucity of demand is signalled by an ongoing fall in backlogs of work and a further steep drop in new orders, especially exports. Business expectations for the year ahead consequently remain negative, deteriorating in July after having climbed to a four-month high in June.
IHS Markit therefore projects the Japanese economy to contract by 4.9% this year before expanding by a modest 1.8% in 2021, which is more cautious than the median forecast of 3.3% anticipated by the Bank of Japan.
Bernard Aw, Principal Economist, IHS Markit
© 2020, IHS Markit Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
Purchasing Managers' Index™ (PMI™) data are compiled by IHS Markit for more than 40 economies worldwide. The monthly data are derived from surveys of senior executives at private sector companies, and are available only via subscription. The PMI dataset features a headline number, which indicates the overall health of an economy, and sub-indices, which provide insights into other key economic drivers such as GDP, inflation, exports, capacity utilization, employment and inventories. The PMI data are used by financial and corporate professionals to better understand where economies and markets are headed, and to uncover opportunities.
- Week Ahead Economic Preview: Week of 15 August 2022
- Monthly PMI Bulletin: August 2022
- Week Ahead Economic Preview: Week of 08 August 2022
- Global growth at two-year low in July as developed world slips into contraction, but price pressures ease
- Global manufacturing price inflation cools to one-and-a-half-year low
- Global manufacturing PMI hits two-year low in July as production falls in the developed world
- Week Ahead Economic Preview: Week of 01 August 2022
- APAC Electronics Industry Expansion Moderates Amidst Pricing Pressures


text:
As the privacy war on advertising continues to ramp up, Apple’s latest rollout of privacy-enhancing features included the option to deny apps the ability to track you across other websites and apps. It does this by restricting the app from seeing your unique identifier for advertisers (IDFA). The IDFA is the only way for apps to accurately track users within iOS apps.
As apps update and are forced to ask the question, you’ll either see nothing at all because the option to even ask has been turned off (which means by default, the app cannot see your IDFA, or ask to), or you’ll get pop up like in the image to right. It’s social media platforms that stand to see the greatest impact from this feature.
You’ve got two options:
Ask App Not To Track – Blocks access to your IDFA.
Allow – Allows access to your IDFA.
Initial analysis for people allowing tracking, reported by analytics firm Flurry, is only 4% for US users, and 12% for global.
That’s very low, but it’s worth taking into consideration that for most people, the option to even allow apps to ask to track is turned off by default. Personally, I turned the option on for allowing apps to request as I was interested to see just how many were trying, and whether based on their use cases, it was even warranted.
I also think it’s important to have the choice, and that’s what Apple is trying to achieve here. It’s giving control back to the users to choose how their data is used, and by who. That’s why Facebook has been so outwardly furious about the update. I won’t go into too much detail on the response from Facebook as it’s been covered a lot recently, but alongside the full page ads they rolled out in the press, they’ve also implemented some splash screens for users which try and convince them to allow access to that all-important IDFA.
A fair amount of pressure in the reasonings there, but unsurprisingly, they omitted the impact on their bottom-line. Supporting businesses that rely on ads to reach customers is very important, but rather than work around the changes (even after Apple paused the rollout for 6 months to allow extra time to prepare), Facebook instead stomped its feet and now it’s too late. I also believe that we’re past the point of Facebook being able to provide a paid version of the platforms because I think people wouldn’t be reassured that the invasive tracking would stop anyway. That and every 4th post/story on Facebook/Instagram is an advert driving revenue for them.
That’s the SEO in me speaking because we are constantly adapting to changes dictated by other companies so we can keep providing the best results for our client in organic search. We don’t say “Nah, Google is trying to destroy small businesses who rely on ranking highly in organic search results, so we’re not doing anything”. Google doesn’t care. It’s rolling them out anyway, and some may argue “yes but they’re not making money from organic”, but they are from all the ads, the retargeting opportunities etc.
Can Personalised Advertising Exist Whilst Protecting User Privacy?
Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes x 100. That’s the most frustrating thing about this whole saga. Facebook, who let’s be honest, doesn’t exactly have the best track record with treating user data in the right ways, could have been leading this charge, supporting it, and it would have worked towards putting them back in favour with users after numerous data scandals (Cambridge Analytica anyone?!).
It starts with the death of the third-party cookie, the type that follows you from website to website. As the decline continues, and the switch to advertising based on first-party cookies grows, what we’ll see is a balanced mix of still personalised and effective advertising, but at the same time allowing users control of their own data and privacy. It will allow much better control in enabling the user rights under GDPR and being able to control that in a single place, rather than have to opt-out of hundreds of different trackers.
It will be a welcome change, and something the industry has to adapt to because the sheer amount of information websites can collect now and utilise without people really knowing is unsustainable.
I loaded a localised VPN onto my iPhone in the past week which blocked all tracking attempts just as a test to see how many there were. The results as of right now, for the past 7 days are:
- 212,000 tracking requests.
- 208,000 of which were encrypted.
- 1679 different companies tried to track me.
That is a LOT. The push into more data-sensitive advertising cannot come quick enough, and in the end, it’ll benefit everybody from the users, to advertisers and publishers. A world where personalised ads and privacy can co-exist is achievable.


text:
Chris Pfeiffer, the world stunt champion, proved once again in Zurich that there is nobody better than him when it comes to stunts and tricks on a two-wheeled machinery.
The 37 year old German champion had already won the same title last year on its BMW F800, but it managed to do it again this early spring on the same type of motorcycle. There’s no age barrier to stop this rider!
Right next with Chris on the podium were Humberto Ribiero and Sebastien Desbonnet, but I invite you (...) > Full story
Due to the unexpected cancellation of musical act Aerosmith, the Harley Owner’s Group (H.O.G.) has announced a revised lineup of entertainment for the CLUB H.O.G. 25 anniversary celebration and has announced that all activities at Milwaukee’s Miller Park during the group’s August 28 event will be free to all H.O.G. members.
According to a spokesperson for Aerosmith, the group has canceled its performance at the H.O.G. concert due to medical reasons and does not have any other dates (...) > Full story
BMW Motorrad’s Chris Pfeiffer has successfully defended the Streetbike Freestyle World Championship in Zurich, which took place this weekend at the SWISS-MOTO Motorcycle, Scooter and Tuning Exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland.
The 37-year-old German once again dominated proceedings aboard his BMW F 800, winning each of the four rounds across the weekend, to retain the crown he won at the inaugural event in 2007. Second place went to Portuguese rider Humberto Ribeiro, while rounding (...) > Full story
I was asked a few days ago, why are there so few songs featuring two wheelers? When I discovered this video on YouTube, I understood right away why is that. Frankly, I do not know how to comment on this video without bursting in a sarcastic laugh.
I am sure that Boro Majstorovic was a phenomenal success in the folk dances of his country (Serbia apparently), but come on! "Kavasaki"? Is this supposed to be a nice tribute to the green mark? By misspelling the brand’s name?
I’m really curious if Kawasaki’s chairman value this kind of publicity. Anyway, I must admit that this video has the virtue of a good laugh.
Last year, BMW Motorrad’s Chris Pfeiffer became the first Indoor Streetbike Freestyle World Champion by winning every round of the indoor event that took place at the SWISS-MOTO Motorcycle, Scooter and Tuning Exhibition in Zurich, Switzerland.
Chris and his F 800 were up against 16 other competitors from nine nations, yet Pfeiffer was unbeaten in Saturday’s qualifying rounds and both of Sunday’s final rounds, posting near perfect results in front of thousands of spectators.
From 21 (...) > Full story
Slayer, the Grammy-winning, undisputed kings of thrash/punk/metal, have joined forces with O’Neal USA, one of the leading manufacturers of motorcycle and BMX accessories, to produce a limited edition of Slayer helmets that feature the band’s distinguished and celebrated artwork. The helmets will launch under the name of RockHard, and will be sold at all Cycle Gear locations and at finer motorcycle dealerships worldwide . In addition, each helmet will be certified and numbered with its own (...) > Full story
Erik Buell, the motorcycle designer, can now add guitar designer to his list of accomplishments, thanks to an exclusive collaboration with Queensrÿche guitarist Mike Stone and Peavey, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of musical instruments.
Buell’s friendship with Stone led to the collaboration with the Peavey Custom Shop. The Mike Stone Signature MS-1 guitar features an original contoured mahogany body shape developed by Stone and Buell. The neck contains inlay blocks with (...) > Full story
Italian legend Giacomo Agostini will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Legend of the Motorcycle Concours.
Agostini, known to millions of fans worldwide as “Ago”, is the world’s greatest motorcycle grand prix racer with 15 Grand Prix World Championship titles. While fellow Italian and World Champion racer Valentino Rossi is close on his heels in terms of career titles, no one has yet to match Ago’s incredible record on the track.
Most closely (...) > Full story


text:
*Update if you love this post, you can also see our post on the top 11 crises of 2020 too*
We’re halfway through 2019 and a handful of crises have already occurred. Some of these came to light by members of the public calling brands out on social media for their slip-ups and others were campaigns by PR and marketing teams that simply did not turn out as planned. Let’s take a look at the top nine crises of 2019 so far.
1) A major fashion mishap: H&M’s “Coolest monkey in the jungle”
H&M released a poorly thought-out ad of one of their products which ignited a press and social media sandstorm. The clothing-retail company featured a young black boy wearing a hoodie which read “Coolest monkey in the jungle”. Many people found it to be racist, inappropriate and negligent. The company reacted by sending out their first apology a day after the image was noticed. Neither the CEO nor the chairman’s names were associated with this crisis and no names of any higher-ups in the company were found in the apology post.
2) Sadly not the best you can get: Gilette’s #MeToo advert
The brand played with its 30-year tagline, “the best a man can get”, and replaced it with “The best men can be”. The commercial showed clips and images of sexism in films, boardrooms and also violence. The commercial went viral, was featured in almost all national publications and generated more than four million views on YouTube in just two days. However, despite the increasingly high views, many people found the advertisement offensive and full of nasty stereotypes. Some critics even went as far as to call for a company boycott, with #BoycottGillette making the rounds on social media.
3) A sour end for the sweet brand: Cadbury’s treasure hunt
Cadbury had all the right intentions when pulling this campaign together – a treasure hunt for families to do together. However, it soon turned into a complete disaster. The campaign encouraged people to go to historical sites throughout the UK and literally dig for gold and treasures with the assumption that whatever they found, they could keep. This soon caused a social media and press S*itstorm with archaeologists and many others stating that this is actually illegal and if people took part they could be prosecuted. Many described the campaign as ‘irresponsible, inconsiderate, poorly-thought-out and shocking’ and urged for Cadbury to quickly put an end to it. It seems as though someone didn’t do enough research for this historical campaign…
4) A total fashion disaster: Gucci’s blackface sweater
The $890, black turtleneck was removed from its website after people said that the sweater resembled a black face. Many twitter users were outraged that Gucci would release such a garment during Black History Month and demanded the product was removed from sale. The company did so and took to Twitter to release a statement:
“Gucci deeply apologizes for the offense caused by the wool balaclava jumper. We consider diversity to be a fundamental value to be fully upheld, respected, and at the forefront of every decision we make’’.
Angry social media users expressed that if more people of colour worked at the fashion house, this insensitive garment may have been flagged as inappropriate and racist before being sold and would have definitely saved them making this serious fashion error.
5) A phone company who didn’t communicate: Huawei’s damaged reputation
The Chinese telecommunications company has often been criticised for not practising transparency. They have been dealt many accusations by the U.S. that they are a security risk and a thief of commercial secrets. When these accusations were brought to light in the media, the CEO failed to talk to reporters or appear in public forums. This has heightened the perception of secrecy and possible complicity with the Chinese government. The key of any crisis communication is to be proactive, transparent and accountable. These are some things Huawei should have practised in their time of crisis.
6) A kick in the teeth for Adidas: Arsenal Kit campaign gets hijacked
As part of their ‘Dare to Create’ campaign, Adidas allowed Twitter users to put their own names on a virtual shirt which was then made available to order. The campaign was hijacked as social media users used the platform to post racist and anti-Semitic messages that were printed on the back of the shirts with references made to Hitler, Madeleine McCann and the Hillsborough disaster. Arsenal Football Club said in a statement:
“We totally condemn the use of language of this nature, which has no place in our game or society.”
They have immediately turned off the functionality and tweets associated have since been deleted.
7) Reputational damage for the coffee giants: Starbucks’ complex history with racism
The coffee company has faced many crises with racism in the past. Nur Ashour, the founder of blog Catastrophic Cook, recently took to twitter to report that she was harassed for wearing a hijab in Dallas Starbucks, which was picked up by press outlets worldwide. Starbucks took several hours to respond, which resulted in 180,000 people reacting to the tweet. Starbucks suffered some reputational damage once again with issues of racism.
8) A high-flying crisis: Boeing 737 Max aircraft crash
The largest manufacturing company in the world faced a major crisis when they opted to seek presidential authority to keep their planes flying. This came following two deadly crashes in just five months. They denied any safety concerns in all reactive statements and press interviews and pushed on as if it was “business as usual” – which has done them absolutely no favours whatsoever. Boeing has faced a lot of backlash from a series of consecutive accidents and has over $600-billion in orders outstanding. The stock has taken an immediate dive costing the company over $22-billion in value and serious slating from the press.
9) A beauty blunder: Sephora closes for diversity training
The company faced backlash when singer, SZA blasted on social media about her experience at a Sephora store in Calabasas, California where she was followed by security after an employee accused her of shoplifting. The company reacted well on social media for taking forceful action by holding “inclusivity” workshops after the incident of racial profiling with their immediate response to SZA’s tweet saying, “You are a part of the Sephora family, and we are committed to ensuring every member of our community feels welcome and included at our stores”. Unfortunately, their response wasn’t quite so well received when it came to light that the training was a pre-planned initiative that actually had nothing to do with the SZA incident – in fact, they just lied to make it seem as though it was. These PR disasters of 2019 just go to show that even the big brands, with the biggest budgets, can still get it horribly wrong. One thing is for sure, that these won’t be the last PR crises for the year, there are sure to be plenty just around the corner. If you are worried about the worst happening – you can always contact us for a quote on helping you with your PR Crisis Management, we can help with a number of things from carefully planning for all eventualities right through to full interactive scenario training, so you can stress test the plan you already have.


text:
By Francesca Fontana
Occidental Petroleum Corp.
The novel coronavirus is suppressing demand for oil as the industry weathers a price war. In response, Occidental Petroleum said Tuesday it will slash spending and dividends, an example of the threat collapsing oil prices pose for the industry. Companies with high debt levels like Occidental, which bought rival Anadarko Petroleum Corp. for $38 billion last year, are particularly vulnerable because Wall Street isn't inclined to rescue them. Shares in Occidental gained 15% Tuesday following the announcement.
Some Amazon sellers have been taking advantage of coronavirus panic. The retail giant has been battling fake products and price-gouging as anxious shoppers turn online for face masks, hand sanitizer and other products that are becoming hard to find amid the growing outbreak, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday. Amazon has said it has removed 530,000 offers and suspended 2,500 accounts because of coronavirus-related price gouging, and removed millions of products that make unsupported claims about the coronavirus. Other online marketplaces such as eBay Inc. and Facebook Inc. have featured similarly high prices and questionable products targeting the outbreak. Amazon.com shares fell 3.8% Wednesday.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV
Italy's coronavirus outbreak has started to hit that country's big manufacturers. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said Wednesday it will lower production and boost efforts in its Italian factories to contain the spread of the virus, including intensive sanitization of work and rest areas, changing rooms and washrooms. The auto giant has factories across Italy, including several in the northwest part of the country, which has been hardest hit by the virus. Since last month, the company has asked most office-based employees to work from home and it says all administrative work has proceeded as normal. Shares fell 3.6% Wednesday.
American Airlines Group Inc.
Airlines are cutting flights, parking planes, freezing hiring and reducing executive pay in response to the coronavirus pandemic. American Airlines said it plans to cut domestic flying by 7.5% and reduce international flying by 10% for the summer peak travel season. Coronavirus's rapid impact on demand has sent airlines reeling, and the companies are preparing for the prospect that recovery could take months, rather than the quick bounceback many first anticipated. To reduce costs, airlines have frozen hiring and have started offering voluntary unpaid leave to employees. American Airlines shares added 15% Tuesday.
Princess Cruises canceled all its voyages for the next two months and will cut short some current trips, after two of its ships suffered coronavirus outbreaks. The Carnival-owned cruise line is the first ocean carrier to suspend sailings as a result of the new coronavirus. The suspension applies to voyages departing March 12 to May 10, Princess said Thursday. Current trips with less than five days remaining will continue, but those extending beyond March 17 will be cut short. The cruise operator and the industry, along with much of the travel sector, has suffered from the fallout from the pandemic. Carnival shares fell 31% Thursday.
Live Nation Entertainment Inc.
The concert industry is bracing for a rough year as coronavirus stands to threaten its critical summer season. Live Nation Entertainment, the world's largest concert promoter, and rival Anschutz Entertainment Group are postponing shows at arenas, The Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday. Seattle and San Francisco have banned gatherings of more than 250 and 1,000 people, respectively. California has banned public events with more than 250 people and New York state has banned gatherings of more than 500. Earlier this week, the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, initially slated for April, was postponed six months, while big-name artists such as and Cher have called off tours. Shares gained 18% Friday.
Bank of America Corp.
Calming words from leaders of the biggest U.S. banks failed to reassure investors as the stock market officially entered bear territory. During a White House meeting with President Trump on Wednesday, attendees from Bank of America, Citigroup Inc. and others said the banks are in good shape despite the recent market turmoil, which has hit bank stocks especially hard. The meeting failed to halt investor doubts, and Bank of America shares fell 9.5% Thursday.
Walt Disney Co.
The happiest place on Earth is shutting down as coronavirus spreads. Walt Disney announced late Thursday it is closing its Disneyland Resort, Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Paris through the end of the month amid widespread cancellations of sporting events and other public gatherings. Earlier that day, California imposed a ban on public gatherings of more than 250, exempting movie theaters, theme parks and casinos. Disney is also suspending new departures for its Disney Cruise Line beginning Saturday and lasting at least until the end of the month. The company said it will monitor the ongoing situation and will continue to pay cast members during this time. Disney shares added 12% Friday.
Not everyone can work from home. As other companies ask employees to work remotely, U.S. food service workers at chains like Starbucks risk exposure to the novel coronavirus and face pressure to keep stores cleaner than ever to reassure customers. Starbucks said Wednesday it would pay any U.S. workers in a 14-day quarantine after exposure to the coronavirus, as well as all employees who are over 60 years old, pregnant or have underlying health conditions. The pandemic is already weighing on Starbucks's bottom line after the company temporarily shut down or limited hours at stores abroad. Starbucks shares fell 9.1% Thursday.
Xerox Holdings Corp.
Xerox is taking a pause in its campaign to take over HP Inc., a sign that the coronavirus pandemic is affecting deal making. The company said Friday that it is postponing additional presentations, interviews with the press and meetings with HP shareholders. "In light of the escalating Covid-19 pandemic, Xerox needs to prioritize health and safety of its employees, customers, partners and affiliates over and above all considerations, including its proposal to acquire HP," Xerox Vice Chairman and Chief Executive John Visentin said. Both companies' shares have fallen this year as equities plunged into the bear market on coronavirus concerns. Xerox shares gained 0.3% Friday.
The European Union is reviving an alliance formed last year with U.S. tech companies to combat online political disinformation. The new focus: false information about the coronavirus. The European Commission, the bloc's executive body, has renewed a self-reporting system it created with Facebook, Alphabet Inc.'s Google, Microsoft Corp., Twitter Inc. and Mozilla Corp. to ensure that measures against disinformation about the novel coronavirus are shared quickly with the commission. The tech companies promised to take down content deemed harmful to public health and to prominently place messages from national health authorities and the World Health Organization. Facebook shares fell 9.3% Thursday.
Broadcom pulled its financial projections for the year, citing uncertainty around the coronavirus pandemic. Instead, the chip maker offered a revenue forecast for the current quarter, saying it expected revenue to come in at about $5.7 billion, falling short of analysts' projections. Apple Inc., which accounted for roughly 20% of Broadcom's revenue last year, warned last month that it would likely fall short of quarterly revenue projections due to the coronavirus outbreak. Broadcom also said Thursday that it would push debt payments to the second half of the year or earlier if conditions improve, having previously pledged to pay down about $4 billion in debt. Shares fell 11% Thursday.
Slack Technologies Inc.
The spreading coronavirus could be good for Slack. The company said late Thursday that the global fallout from the pandemic is resulting in a surge of interest in its workplace-collaboration software, though the impact isn't reflected in its fiscal 2020 earnings. Slack is seeing a rush in free use of its service, but a global slowdown in travel over virus concerns could make it harder to close new deals, said Allen Shim, the company's chief financial officer. Slack's earnings outlook reflected that uncertainty, Mr. Shim said. Shares fell 8.2% Friday.
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE
First China's coronavirus outbreak weighed on demand for luxury goods. Now Italy's outbreak could weigh on production. Companies such as LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton are straining to keep factories open in the country while adopting precautionary measures to fight the spread of the disease in its ranks. The makers of luxury goods are providing workers with protective gear, closing workplace cafeterias and warning employees to keep their distance from each other. Louis Vuitton, owned by LVMH, has kept open its global shoe factory in the Venice region, site of one of Italy's biggest disease clusters. American depositary shares of LVMH fell 6.3% Wednesday.


text:
Google announced its decision to remove links to Canadian news from search results and related products in response to the recently enacted Online News Act, also known as Bill C-18. The law requires tech giants like Google and Meta to pay publishers for displaying links to news content. The move by Google follows a similar action taken by Meta earlier this month.
Google expressed its concerns about the legislation, stating that it is the wrong approach to supporting journalism in Canada. The company argued that paying publishers for showing links to news could create uncertainty for its products and expose them to unlimited financial liability for facilitating access to news.
The law, which is set to take effect in six months, aims to address the financial losses suffered by news businesses as Facebook and Google dominated the online advertising market. The legislation mandates that news businesses could receive around 330 million Canadian dollars ($249 million) annually from deals with tech companies.
In response to Google’s decision, Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez, who introduced the bill, criticized the tech giants, accusing them of using “bullying tactics” and prioritizing blocking access to the news and overpaying their fair share to news organizations. He emphasized that Google’s move showed how “deeply irresponsible and out of touch” the company is, especially considering the significant revenue it generates from Canadian users.
In a blog post, Kent Walker, Google’s President of Global Affairs stated that the law remains unworkable and that the company does not believe the regulatory process can resolve the structural issues with the legislation. As a result, Google will be removing links to Canadian news from its Search, News, and Discover products in Canada. The affected news outlets will be determined based on the government’s definition of “eligible news businesses.”
Furthermore, Google will also terminate its News Showcase program in Canada, which currently has agreements with over 150 news publications across the country. This program provides news panels produced in collaboration with publishers, including Reuters.
It remains to be seen how this decision by Google will impact the news landscape in Canada and how the government will respond to the company’s move. The dispute between tech giants and news publishers regarding fair compensation for news content continues to unfold, raising essential questions about the future of journalism and the relationship between news organizations and digital platforms.


text:
Virtual Science Center
We wonder how Nikola Tesla would have felt to see the global gathering that took place on July 11 in honor of his 164th birthday. The grounds surrounding Tesla’s Wardenclyffe laboratory were buzzing with guests, some of who arrived in Tesla cars, excited to see an advance screening of the IFC Films movie named after him. TESLA was also screened online to a worldwide audience with a pre-movie show that featured a giant coil demo by Lightning on Demand and an electric musical performance by ArcAttack. The film’s writer and director, Michael Almereyda, as well as stars Ethan Hawke and Kyle MacLachlan, interacted with guests during a live Q&A that revealed often surprising details about Tesla himself as well as the movie’s inspiration, research, filming, and acting. Tesla was a lifetime learner and it seems fitting that we focused on giving the gift of learning in his honor at this year’s Tesla Birthday Bash. Please enjoy this special video recap of TSCW’s Tesla Birthday Bash with our deepest thanks and appreciation for your support.


text:
Heads Roll At Intel Over Manufacturing Missteps In Major Division Shake-Up
Intel this week announced a major shakeup in its manufacturing division amid continuing delays in rolling out its 10nm processors. Intel has been building chips on its 14nm process since 2014 and the company has indicated that its 10nm CPUs won’t be ready for volume production until 2019. In order to get its house in order, Intel is splitting up its manufacturing unit; the company announced its plans to employees on Monday.
The Intel Manufacturing and Technology group will be chopped into three components: technology development, manufacturing and operations, and supply chain. Tech development will be led by Mike Mayberry, Intel's CTO and head of Intel Labs. Mayberry is replacing Rich Uhlig who currently heads Intel Labs, but Uhlig will continue managing Intel Labs on an interim basis as Mayberry moves in. While the manufacturing unit has been chopped up, the man who has been jointly leading the manufacturing arm since 2016, Sohail Ahmed, will retire next month. The assumption is that Ahmed is taking at least some of the Intel ire for its long-delayed 10nm parts, which were originally supposed to launch in 2015.
Ann Kelleher will run the manufacturing arm; she has been the joint leader of the technology and manufacturing group with Ahmed. Intel's supply chain segment will be run by Randhir Thakur. All of these new segments will be under the direction of Venkata "Murthy" Renduchintala, who has been with Intel since 2015 after leaving Qualcomm. Renduchintala is currently the chief engineering officer for Intel and is president of several Intel businesses, including manufacturing.
Intel's recently launched 9th gen Core i9 parts are built on a refined 14nm process called 14nm++. Intel has traditionally introduced a new class of processors on a two-year cycle adhering to Moore's Law, but increasing complexity in shrinking chips has seen that two-year cycle lengthen dramatically.


text:
Dec 5, 2013, 9:32 am CST
Fiddleheads Coffee Roasters will open its fourth cafe at Bayshore Town Center, Glendale, in the former Caribou Coffee space.
David Moss, Bayshore general…
Dec 5, 2013, 9:09 am CST
The Lowlands Group will be putting a restaurant at The Corners project planned for the town of Brookfield, but it won’t necessarily be a Cafe Benelux…
Dec 3, 2013, 2:40 pm CST
To celebrate 30 years in business, the owners of Racines restaurant in Denver are giving away a trip — to Racine, Wis.
Dec 2, 2013, 10:08 am CST
Lakefront Brewery Inc. is taking over management of its popular Friday fish fry and expects to expand its tour offerings as a result.
Russ Davis, who…
Nov 27, 2013, 10:43 am CST
For five years, customers have been asking staff at the Oilerie Brookfield for tips on how to use its products.
So employees decided to put their advice…
Nov 25, 2013, 11:14 am CST
The former Quilted Bear Restaurant & Banquet Hall in Germantown will reopen under a new owner and new name next year, according to a news release issued…
Nov 22, 2013, 12:12 pm CST
The new menu at Cafe Calatrava at the Milwaukee Art Museum blends the New World with the Old World, just as the museum’s current traveling exhibit does.
Nov 22, 2013, 11:20 am CST
A pizza chain new to Wisconsin is hoping you’ll stuff your face with pizza before you stuff it with turkey next week.
Blaze Fast-Fire’d Pizza, which…
Nov 19, 2013, 4:05 pm CST
Hospital food hasn’t acquired the best reputation over the years, so you might be surprised that a hospital in Watertown is encouraging the general public…
Nov 18, 2013, 4:29 pm CST
The restaurant planned by SURG Restaurant Group for Bayshore Town Center will be a Hom Wood Fired Grill, the same concept that replaced 8-twelve MVP Bar…
Nov 18, 2013, 3:40 pm CST
A new bakery and cafe planned for Shorewood is seeking a $50,000 village loan.
Owner Gene Webb is planning to open La Orangerie at 4401-03 N. Oakland…
Nov 18, 2013, 11:04 am CST
Mooove over, Five Guys. A Milwaukee-area businessman is looking to bring a new burger franchise to town.
Punit Jaiswal has signed a deal to open four…
Nov 15, 2013, 4:06 pm CST
The owners of Maxie’s and Blue’s Egg are planning a unique business on the west side of Milwaukee: a coffee shop, restaurant, and beer and wine shop,…
Nov 12, 2013, 2:34 pm CST
Potbelly Sandwich Shop will open its second store in the city of Milwaukee on Nov. 19, according to a news release.
The shop at 2239 N. Prospect Ave.,…
Nov 12, 2013, 8:22 am CST
A Waukesha cafe and bakery is adding a second location in Brookfield and making plans to move its original location.
The second O' What a Day Cafe will…


text:
“Samsung’s smartphone plant in Gumi, South Korea may reopen on February 25th, but this does not affect its other manufacturing lines”
Samsung Electronics, which is the world’s largest smartphone vendor by volume and market share, has announced that it has completely shut down one of its factories in South Korea until Monday, February 24th, after an employee tested positive for the coronavirus. While the plant is expected to reopen Tuesday, Samsung further stated that the floor where the said employee worked has been shut down until February 25th, and any other employee who may have been in contact or been near the one who was infected with the virus has been suggested self-quarantine until further clearance.
In a statement released by Samsung, the company also says that it has “taken steps to have them tested for possible infection,” alluding to co-employees of the worker who has recently gone down with the virus. The plant in question is situated in Gumi, South Korea, and is responsible for a minor portion of Samsung’s overall smartphone production volumes. The said factory mostly churns out premium Samsung phones that are marketed locally in South Korea. As a result, the lockdown of the plant until the said days are not expected to have a major impact on Samsung’s overall global shipment volumes.
A Reuters report on the matter stated that Gumi is close to the Korean city of Daegu, which is the apparent epicentre of most coronavirus infections in Korea. With the total number of individuals infected in Korea rising to 433, it will be crucial to see how this impacts the nation’s technology market going forward. Samsung’s major manufacturing hubs for its mainstream devices are located in Vietnam and India, which is the reason why it has so far seen comparatively lesser disruption of its supply chain in comparison to close rival Apple, which sees most of its iPhones being made out of plants in China.
The coronavirus outbreak has made a significant dent in the technology industry, with the annual Mobile World Congress, arguably the world’s largest confluence of smartphone and telecom technologies, being cancelled due to companies pulling out for the coronavirus threat. Its overall impact on technology has led to smartphone manufacturers scramble for inventory stocks, with component makers shutting plants in response to quarantine lockdowns being issued in China.


text:
The number of complaints made to regulated firms increased in the first half of 2019, according to complaints figures published by the (FCA) this Thursday.
In particular, the number of complaints for the first half of the year was 4.29 million. This is higher than the 3.91 million complaints made in the second half of last year by 9.7 per cent. It has also grown from the 4.13 million complaints made in H1 of 2018 by 3.9 per cent.
Unsurprisingly, contributing the most to the number of complaints, was those regarding Payment Protection Insurance (PPI). Specifically, the number of PPI complaints made up 49 per cent of the total complaints made in the first six months of 2019.
The number of investment complaints, which were made to investment companies dealing in all manner of assets, such as foreign exchange (forex), stocks and more, pale in comparison to PPI.
In fact, for each 1,000 client accounts, 2.1 of those account holders made a complaint in H1 of 2019, which equals a complaint rate of 2 per cent. In H1 of 2018, this rate was at 2.2, representing a year-on-year decline. PPI, on the other hand, had a 67 per cent complaint rate.
In terms of the total redress paid, consumers were awarded a total of £35.7 million in the first half of 2019. This value is higher than the £32.1 million paid in the second half of 2018 and the £27.5 million in H1 2018 by 11.2 per cent and 29.8 per cent, respectively.
Investment scams are still a real threat
Although investment complaints might pale in comparison to PPI, that doesn’t mean that scams within the financial industry – particularly investment scams, aren’t a real threat to consumers.
As , earlier this year, the FCA also revealed that Brits lost approximately £27 million ($34.4 million) to foreign exchange and cryptocurrency-related scams in the 2018/2019 fiscal year.
According to the British regulator, authorities received 1,834 scam reports last year. That was almost a four-fold increase on the prior twelve-month period.


text:
Flywheel has been established in 2012 by Dusty Davidson, Rick Kudtson and Tony Noecker with the objective of making specific target and unique products that can help companies develop their WordPress company. The corporation already has more than 28,000 global customers and presently does have more over 200 employees all over the world.
Davidson and Knudtson, both of which have lately left the startup of Layeredi mobile marketing, have been focusing on Flywheel. Noecker works parttime while he continues to remain the project lead of Tripleseat, co-founded by the startup Davidson and then once started working for Knudtson.
Flywheel is meant to become more than a hosting solution. Its management solution will be its greatest fundamental value for developers.
“The issue we’re working to solve is specific to web developers and agencies that handle a huge number of websites,” Davidson said. and Somebody such as Mortar and Grain will create 30 WordPress website per year, so they need need to handle them … they need to signin into thirty different hosting accounts, or they’ll have to remember user names and password , or they’ll have to do tasks that make it extremely hard for them all to handle that many websites and release new websites
Flywheel’s management solution can provide designers with a dashboard which it shows all of the websites they’ve set up to manage customers and gives the opportunity to log in to the customer ‘s website if necessary. It will also provide developers with an opportunity to bill their customers for the Flywheel hosting prices they charge.


text:
Former Twin Cities auto dealership mogul Denny Hecker won't be released from jail, even for a short furlough, because he has "misrepresented his financial situation" and "frequently and repeatedly defies court orders," making him a flight risk, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Kia dealership moved to Fargo; Moorhead officials lament business loss The sale was completed Wednesday morning, Boen said. Shortly thereafter, his sales staff teamed up to drive Muscatell’s Kia fleet of about 80 vehicles across the river from Muscatell’s Moorhead dealership. The new dealership is called Kia of Fargo.
Marino Eccher and Dave Olson
, September 30, 2010
The automaker will wind up with about 5,000 U.S. dealers in July, up from original plans for 4,100, Mark Reuss, GM's North America president, told The Associated Press. It had about 6,000 when it filed for bankruptcy last year.
Bankrupt auto mogul Denny Hecker’s legal nightmare took an even darker turn Thursday, after his former father-in-law committed suicide just a week after he was accused of helping Hecker hide about $81,000 from creditors.
UPDATED 11:52 A.M. The president of Toyota's operations apologized for the company's handling of safety issues today while insisting that electronic problems did not contribute to sudden acceleration of its cars. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood argued that such a possibility could not be ruled out.
Ken Thomas and Larry Margasak
, February 23, 2010
Former auto dealer Denny Hecker stood up and cursed in court Wednesday after U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Kressel refused to forgive the debt. It means Chrysler can claim any future earnings by Hecker.
View your ad here! Cost effective targeted advertising. Contextual advertising starting as low as $79/month. This includes targeted ad delivery and search results! Add your business to the Marketplace »


text:
BRITISH MOTORISTS saved millions on lower car depreciation last year, but that looks increasingly unlikely to be repeated in 2013.
Depreciation, which forms the biggest element in a typical car’s ownership cost, stood at an average 9.4% in 2012 for a 1 year old car, with 10,000 miles on the clock – a big reduction on the average loss of 16% in 2011.
Some of the most striking improvements in depreciation last year were seen in the large family car segment – home to names like the Ford Mondeo and the Volkswagen Passat – which saw an average improvement in depreciation of nearly 10% compared with the year before.
What caused the strength in used car prices last year – despite the torrid economic times – was a big reduction in the number of cars available. This was due to the collapse in new car registrations after the 2008 credit crunch and the recession that followed. Those events all but destroyed the new car market in Britain and led to eventual complaints from dealers of a severe shortage of good quality used cars in 2012.
But that dynamic is set to change as car makers target Britain to shore up their new car sales.
Most European new car markets are languishing in the doldrums and the price of that was sadly brought home recently with the announcement of 800 job losses at Honda, due to declining demand in Europe.
But thanks to the relative strength of Sterling, the UK has become a more profitable market for new cars over the past year and many car makers now have big plans to increase sales in Britain during 2013. We have seen some of the intended numbers and, although we can't reveal information shared with us confidentially, they are certainly not unambitious.
This is likely to lead to an increase in the number of competitively priced nearly new cars available toward the middle of the year. Experience has shown us that when so-called late plate supply increases substantially, prices fall, so motorists can expect an increase in general depreciation compared with last year.
Although more rapid depreciation caused by an increase in supply is often portrayed as bad news, it’s only part of the story. Hand in hand with this development will be an easing of credit restrictions for both consumers and fleets and that will mean a chance to benefit from better new car deals than we have seen for a long time.
Although they aren’t felt directly by motorists, there are other benefits to the wider economy in preventing the kind of job losses Swindon is bracing itself for. It isn’t only car plant workers who suffer when demand for new cars is low but the thousands of people employed in the automotive supply chain.
Similarly, it’s easy to portray high used car values as a good thing but try telling that to dealers who need to find good cars for stock – or motorists who don’t have a quality vehicle to trade in and need to find the cash from somewhere to fund their next purchase.
In Britain we are used to average annual depreciation of around 15%, so last year was unusual and certainly brought windfalls for those disposing of large volumes of cars. The prospect of a return to something closer to typical depreciation may not be welcomed by some but for many people there will be opportunities to buy a new car they might previously never have been able to afford.”
Note: CAP blog entries represent the personal viewpoints of CAP staff. Business decisions should only be made on the basis of information published in CAP’s commercial products and not on the basis of information or opinion published on the CAP blog. For further information about CAP products call us on 0113 223 2111.


text:
Apple gadgets you buy in the future may have been assembled by machines as Apple’s biggest manufacturing partner, Foxconn, begins replacing its workers with robots. The move is expected to improve efficiency in Foxconn’s Chinese plants, as well as combat rising labor costs.
All items tagged with "workers"
Foxconn CEO Terry Gou has revealed that dealing with Apple’s overwhelming iPhone demand is not an easy task. The company is still struggling to catch up with the strong sales the iPhone has been enjoying, but Gou would not confirm whether the group’s other unit, Foxconn International Holdings, has taken on some of its production.
Earlier today, we reported on the Foxconn riot that broke out at the company’s Taiyuan, China, plant on Sunday evening. More than 2,000 employees were involved, and it took more than 5,000 police several hours officers to bring the disturbance under control.
Although many were injured, it was first thought that there were no deaths. Unfortunately the riot was much worse than initially reported, and ten workers have now been pronounced dead, according to reports.
A Foxconn factory in Taiyuan, China — where many of Apple’s devices are assembled before being shipped — has had to be closed after 2,000 workers became involved in a “mass disturbance” on Sunday evening.
The fight reportedly broke out after a personal quarrel involving workers from two different production lines, but messages posted to Chinese microblogging network Sina Weibo have claimed that the brawl was actually caused by factory guards beating Foxconn workers.
The poor working conditions in Foxconn’s Chinese factories have been widely documented for some time now, but the reports have seemingly done very little to dissuade workers from applying for Foxconn jobs.
Thousands have reportedly turned up to the company’s Chengdu and Zhengzhou plants in the hope of securing a “summer job” that is likely to involve the assembly of Apple’s new iPhone, and possibly even an “iPad mini.”
After the FLA found wide scale violations at Apple’s main manufacturing plant, Foxconn, both Foxconn and Apple promised to fix the issues by 2013. Issues that were found include the amount of overtime worked, compensation workers receive for their overtime, and numerous health and safety risks. In what looks to be the first of changes, Foxconn and Apple will be raising workers’ wages in July.
Employees at Foxconn factories in China claim that the company hid underage workers during the recent inspection by the Fair Labor Association (FLA) so that they would not be discovered, according to the organization Students & Scholars Against Corporate Misbehavior (SACOM).
It seems that lengthy report looking into the poor working conditions in Chinese factories assembling Apple products is going to haunt the Cupertino company for some time yet. The latest backlash comes from consumer group SumOfUs, which has launched a petition calling for Apple to “stop worker abuse,” with over 35,000 signatures collected in just 24 hours.
Despite recent reports detailing the mistreatment of factory workers assembling Apple products in China, there’s still a huge demand for jobs at the Foxconn factory. Thousands of people lined up for hours outside a recruitment agency in the Chinese city of Zhengzhou in the hope that they would be chosen to build iPhones at the Foxconn factory.
Tim Cook was outraged by a recent report from The New York Times that provided a detailed look at the poor working conditions for Chinese factory workers assembling our Apple gadgets. It seems he’s not the only one. The BSR, a leader in corporate responsibility which works with Apple to develop sustainable business strategies, has labeled the report “inaccurate” and “misleading,” and has requested that it is corrected by the NYT.


text:
The Securities and Alternate Fee has threatened to sue cryptocurrency change platform Coinbase, in response to the corporate.
A publish on Coinbase’s weblog says the SEC has issued the corporate with a Wells discover—a message of intent to sue in courtroom.
The weblog publish, written by Coinbase’s chief authorized officer Paul Grewal, states that the warning was issued over the platform’s proposed Lend program, which might enable cryptocurrency homeowners to lend them in return for curiosity.
In response to Reuters, some U.S. states have raised considerations about such applications, arguing that they need to adjust to current securities legal guidelines.
It added that New Jersey had issued an order in July, telling cryptocurrency platform BlockFi to cease providing interest-bearing accounts that had raised $14.7 billion from traders.
Coinbase stated it had contacted the SEC over Lend and the corporate believed it didn’t fall underneath the securities legal guidelines.
In a tweet linking to the weblog publish, Coinbase stated: “After months of attempting to interact with the @SECGov on our deliberate Coinbase Lend product, we lately obtained discover that it intends to pursue authorized motion in opposition to us.
“We imagine dialogue is on the coronary heart of fine regulation, even when the SEC could not.”
After months of attempting to interact with the @SECGov on our deliberate Coinbase Lend product, we lately obtained discover that it intends to pursue authorized motion in opposition to us. We imagine dialogue is on the coronary heart of fine regulation, even when the SEC could not. https://t.co/OumvyTPQdj
— Coinbase (@coinbase) September 8, 2021
Video: How the Senate goes to manage cryptocurrency transactions (CNBC)
Grewal’s weblog publish stated the corporate had been in touch with the SEC and that it had determined to maintain Lend off the market because of the authorized risk.
He added: “Regardless of Coinbase retaining Lend off the market and offering detailed data, the SEC nonetheless will not clarify why they see an issue.
“Quite they’ve now instructed us that if we launch Lend they intend to sue. But once more, we requested if the SEC would share their reasoning with us and but once more they refused.”
Grewal confirmed that Lend wouldn’t be launched till “a minimum of October.”
Newsweek has contacted the SEC and Coinbase for remark.
The Lend row just isn’t the one problem making headlines within the cryptocurrency group this week. On Tuesday, El Salvador grew to become the primary nation on the planet to make bitcoin authorized tender.
Inside hours, nonetheless, El Salvador’s bitcoin transaction app Chivo needed to be disconnected with a purpose to “enhance the capability” of its servers, in response to President Nayib Bukele.
He stated the servers can be down till the capability problem had been correctly corrected.
Following an preliminary surge in worth forward of El Salvador’s regulation coming into impact on Tuesday, bitcoin crashed in worth simply hours later.
Begin your limitless Newsweek trial


text:
The American Bankers Association’s Card Policy Council is calling for all consumer-facing industries to implement the latest payment protection technologies, including EMV chip cards, tokenization and biometrics. “We invite retailers to partner with banks by taking common sense measures like activating their chip credit card readers and accepting secure mobile wallets,” says the Card Policy Council’s Jess Sharp.
- Samsung cuts US support for MST transactions on new Galaxy phones
- Fiat Chrysler to let drivers order and pay for Grubhub food deliveries from their cars
- Agricultural Bank of China pilots central bank digital currency ATMs
- Mastercard pilots cloud POS solution for contactless payments acceptance on NFC smartphones
- Juniper forecasts 2.2bn QR code payment users by 2025
This article is more than four years old


text:
Soon after months of slow foot visitors some downtown firms are looking at a strengthen.
Enterprises in Traverse Metropolis say this weekend has been busier than most.
Katy Grace, manager of Good Lakes Bathtub and Human body claims the past 12 months so significantly has been tricky to plan for and people searching downtown Traverse Town are keen to begin purchasing with neighborhood enterprises all over again.
“All the consumers that occur in are truly seeking to assistance neighborhood firms,” claims Grace. “They want to know how we’re undertaking. They’re accomplishing their most effective to form of get out there and take part.”
She says like a lot of other enterprises, the beginning of very last year had them apprehensive but the vacations have assisted to hold organization coming in the doorway.
“The calendar year obtained much better. We experienced a wonderful fourth quarter. 2021 commenced off fairly sound. So, we’re making an attempt to lean in and do what ever we can do make the finest out of a terrible situation,” states Grace.
M-22 says they are noticing a lot more buyers now that places to eat and bars are open up.
“The Monday that bars and places to eat opened down in this article we had 3 instances the volume of persons that we would see through the working day.,” mentioned M-22 manager Deming Wilce.
She suggests Presidents’ Working day has also brought a whole lot of visitors to the space.
“Starting yesterday, most persons were being off school and so we noticed the influx of just vacationers that were coming into town and finding settled,” explained Wilce. “Today it is been packed all day. We have been on a wait a couple occasions simply because of had been at capability and parking all over listed here has been ridiculous to find.”
Both equally enterprises say they hope far more buyers on Front Street once cafe capacities are lifted.


text:
The Geneva Motor Show is just around the corner and we have some very exciting news. We are delighted to be able to offer you exclusive VIP access to the Bentley Stand in what is already one of the top five major automobile events in the world!
Last year’s show was enjoyed by over 680,000 people who were there to witness the unveiling of Bentley’s remarkable concept car – the EXP10 Speed 6 – which received strong reviews across the world’s motoring press.
Bentley Glasgow will be hosting a trip to this global event on the weekend of 11th – 12th March 2016 where you can expect to see further innovations, from all the major motoring manufacturers. A trip not to be missed!
If you are interested in joining us please call Bentley Glasgow on 01698 303 850 or email email@example.com to reserve your place.


text:
- Articles tagged "tegra 4"
HP has just provided us with a special preview of their latest products that will be launched closer to the year-end holiday season, which includes a new Windows hybrid notebook, an Ultrabook, a desktop AIO and an Android tablet. Here's our first impressions of them.
It's a no-brainer that the new mobile processor is packed with even more processing power. But the big question is, what do you do with all the processing power? NVIDIA demonstrates exactly why you'll want a Tegra 4 device and we've got the details.
- SanDisk launches new 256GB microSD cards at MWC Shanghai 2016
- Rumor: Intel is looking to sell its cyber security business
- Apple rumored to be working on new Thunderbolt Display with integrated graphics
- Microsoft paid this woman US$10,000 for an unwanted Windows 10 installation
- ADATA launches new M.2 version of its Premier SP550 mainstream SSD
- New digital telco Circles.Life launches its Unlimited Bonus Data reward program
- Google to release its own handset by the end of the year
- iPhone 7 may come in space black to match the Apple Watch


text:
China remains top destination of Iran exports
Baku, Azerbaijan, August 27
Iran’s non-oil exports, including condensates have witnessed an increase by over 13.7 percent in terms of value during the first five months of the current fiscal year (March 20-Aug. 22).
The customs administration said Aug. 27 that the country’s non-oil exports, including gas condensate, reached $19.32 billion during the period.
The volume of the exported goods reached 46.3 million tons in the 4-month period.
The country includes gas condensate and some raw hydrocarbon products, like propane, butane, etc. in its non-oil export basket.
During the period, the country exported $2.17 billion worth of condensate, followed by liquefied propane (worth $845 million), light oils excluding gasoline ($734 million), methanol ($560 million) and film grade polyethylene ($496 million).
Iran’s petrochemical exports accounted to 30 percent of overall exports’ value, meanwhile condensates share was 11.23 percent.
China was the main importer of the Iranian goods during the period. Iran’s non-oil exports to China stood at $3.774 billion.
The United Arab Emirates ($3.5 billion), Iraq ($3.42 billion), Afghanistan ($1.433 billion) and India ($987 million) were other top importers of Iranian non-oil goods during the first five months of the current fiscal year.


text:
News tagged ‘ultra hd tv’
Tuesday, 8 Jan 2013
LG has unveiled several new TV and related products at CES 2013. Some that caught our attention are new Google TVs and wider variety of Ultra HD TVs. Also, the company has stated its plans for its 55-inch OLED TV for the US market.


text:
Digital transactions have been growing in popularity within higher education. As a result, many schools and universities are investing in modern digital payment platforms that enable digital transactions for everything from tuition billing to meal plans. The increase in virtual learning and online instruction in the wake of the pandemic has exacerbated this trend.
Even as classrooms return to “normal”, many schools have overhauled many administrative processes to be digital. Schools continue to transition departments, teaching, and payments to digital channels. But it’s also critical to ensure that the chosen platforms can handle a wide variety of use cases while remaining secure.
Behind the Need for Digital Transactions in Higher Ed
Remote learning was one driver for digital transactions. But the reality is that many students have grown accustomed to paying online for a variety of things – from clothing to books and more. Universities would do well to pay attention to these preferences.
Flexibility is highly valued among younger generations, and this can be seen in the higher enrollment rates in online-focused colleges. While many of these colleges cater to working adults and have historically served an older demographic, young Gen Z’ers are the fastest-growing demographic. According to Education Drive, students between the ages of 18 and 22 made up 8.4% of students who began these types of programs in February of 2020 – an increase of 5.1% from January 2018.
Even students who choose to continue their education at universities focused on in-person learning prefer the flexibility that enables them to pay how they want, namely through digital means. Enabling digital transactions across the board – from tuition to meals to books – is imperative in 2022.
Schools must take a page from the books of Amazon and Uber to facilitate a modern, frictionless payment experience. Students (and parents) are leaving paper checks behind in favor of ACH and digital wallets.
Considerations for Digital Payments
Before making a move to digital payment platforms – or expanding capabilities – colleges and universities must do their due diligence. One of the biggest factors inhibiting many from changing providers is compatibility with other systems and software programs.
When evaluating different providers, it’s critical to look at how easily new systems can be integrated into other platforms. Many modern services can be seamlessly embedded via APIs, eliminating or reducing the need for a complete overhaul.
Another consideration is how many payment types, currencies, and digital wallets a platform can enable. This is especially critical for institutions that serve a global student base and are accepting tuition and other payments from multiple countries in multiple currencies.
Addressing Cybersecurity Vulnerabilities
While enabling digital payments may seem like a no-brainer, it is not without risk. As digital payments experience rapid adoption and growth across industries, new cyber security vulnerabilities are emerging, too.
Colleges and universities must ensure that new solutions and providers are secure and compliant, but also look at legacy systems to safeguard data against modern, highly-sophisticated bad actors.
According to a report released by the K-12 Cybersecurity Resource Center, 2020 was a “record-breaking” year for cyber attacks against public schools in the U.S. Schools continue to battle both ransomware and malware attacks at staggering numbers, pointing to an increased need for safe, secure digital payment tools. Platforms should include comprehensive risk management and be fully compliant with federal regulations.
If you’re ready to take the next step to enable or improve digital transactions, contact us today for a free consultation.


text:
Israel, December 2022, Mobile Network Experience
Partner joins Cellcom and Pelephone in a three-way tie for Video Experience, while Cellcom and Hot Mobile jointly win Games Experience.
Global Mobile Network Experience Awards 2023
In the fourth Global Mobile Network Experience Awards report, Opensignal once again directly compares operators from around the world to recognize those on which our users had the best mobile experience.
Filter Insights based on date, author or topic.
Benchmarking the Global 5G Experience — March 2022
During 2022, 5G will start to become the mainstay of the mobile experience in many markets. In others, the 5G journey is starting, but 5G offers the promise of a significantly superior experience. Here, Opensignal's quantifies the current 5G experience.
5G Impact on the Global Mobile Network Experience
Approximately once a decade the mobile industry unveils a new network technology standard with the goal of revolutionizing users’ mobile network experience. Opensignal examines the real-world impact that 5G has had on the mobile experience by comparing 100 markets.
Global Mobile Network Experience Awards 2022
In the third Global Mobile Network Experience Awards report, Opensignal once again directly compares operators from around the world to recognize those on which our users had the best mobile experience.
Israel, December 2021, Mobile Network Experience
Our fourth report on the Israeli mobile market shows once again fierce competition for our mobile experience awards as all operators secured one or more victories across our seven award categories.
Benchmarking the Global 5G Experience — November 2021
In the new international 5G benchmark we see significant changes among the global leaders.
5G Global Mobile Network Experience Awards 2021
Now for the first time Opensignal ranks the world's 5G operators using our leading measures of the real-world mobile network experience.
Benchmarking the Global 5G Experience — September 2021
With the autumn smartphone upgrade cycle about to start, with the recent launch of new Samsung foldable models and the new iPhone, many mobile users will be considering purchasing their first 5G phone. Opensignal has again looked at the 5G experience to see how it compares globally


text:
On the morning of November 22, 2018, Xie Zhixiong, deputy director of the Standing Committee of Loudi Municipal People’s Congress and Secretary of party Group, and his delegation visited Zhaoqing Hongwang for investigation and research. They were accompanied by leaders of Foshan Hunan Chamber of Commerce of Guangdong province, Chairman of Hongwang Group and Dai Zhenhui, vice chairman of Hunan Chamber of Commerce of Guangdong Province and other relevant units.
Secretary Xie Zhixiong and his party went deep into the production workshop of Zhaoqing Hongwang and paid a special visit to the zhaoqing Hongwang 1450 five consecutive rolling and supporting continuous annealing and pickling production line. Chairman Dai Jianhui introduced the development history, technology and product advantages, new project development and construction of Hongwang in detail. Afterwards, entrepreneurs present at Foshan And Hunan Chamber of Commerce in Guangdong made brief reports on their companies and made Suggestions for loudi’s economic development.
Secretary Xie Zhixiong fully affirmed the advanced technology of Hongwang Group, and at the same time affirmed the Suggestions of entrepreneurs of Foshan Hunan Chamber of Commerce on the development of Loudi city. He hoped that entrepreneurs present here would pay attention to the development of their hometown and support the economic construction of their hometown.
Post time: Jul-23-2020


text:
Honor 30 Series Dual Super Fast Charge
The Honor 30 series will be officially released on April 15th, and the official has begun to warm up frequently on weibo. In morning Honor announced dual speaker with Histen audio for honor 30 series.
Now in this afternoon, Honor mobile officially announced that the Honor 30 series will be equipped with dual super fast charging, the entire department is equipped with 40W super fast charging, obtained the Rhine safe fast charging certification.
In addition, the Honor official said that the machine also supports wireless super fast charging, but did not announce the specific charging power.
In meantime, Guan Haitao, deputy minister of honor marketing department, published a post post on weibo asking expedition from honor 30 series. This post was published using Honor 30 Pro +, which is definitely super large cup and third model of series like Huawei P40 Pro +. Honor 30 Pro + can seen in weibk tail of post.
At the same time, Honor president also revealed on Weibo that the Honor 30 series also supports high refresh rate screens, which are expected to be equipped with the Pro version.


text:
|Headteacher Beatrice with SolarAid lamps|
Ashden Founding Director, Sarah Butler-Sloss, said of their decision that: “One of the biggest challenges in getting sustainable energy to the poor is getting to the ‘last mile’ – those remote rural areas where commercial distribution and retail networks simply don’t exist. SolarAid’s ingenious distribution methods are getting power to the people who need it the most.”
A delighted SolarAid Managing Director, Pippa Palmer, added that: “Through SunnyMoney, SolarAid’s goal is to build a sustainable future for solar technology in Africa through the sale of solar lights. In the last four months alone, our solar light sales in Tanzania, Malawi, Zambia and Kenya have increased by 62%, encouraging us to launch our fundraising campaign ‘Make it a Million’. Being an Ashden Award finalist shines a light on this new challenge we have set ourselves, to fund further expansion of our distribution networks in order to sell one million solar lamps by the end of this year.”
Emission reductions; a kerosene lamp emits up to one tonne of carbon over five years, a solar light emits none.
Cleaner air; the fumes from one kerosene lamp is equivalent to smoking 40 cigarettes per day, a solar light emits none.
Reduced costs; typical families in Kenya have reduced kerosene use by an average of 77% and are saving UK£74 per year through the use of solar lights.
Improved education; children typically do 92% more homework / two extra hours of homework a night after their family secures a solar light in their home.


text:
A disheartening read, but needs to be said and highlighted..........share among your own channels, the public may want to be more aware of where there money goes.
Sustain looked at five everyday food stuffs - apples, cheese, beefburgers, carrots and bread - and found that, after intermediaries and retailers take their cut, farmers are sometimes left with far less 1% of the profit.
The report “Unpicking food prices: Where does your food pound go and why do farmers get so little?” released 2 December 2022, examines in detail where the money spent on the five everyday food products goes and why that matters. We urgently need farmers to change farming systems to look after nature, tackle climate change and produce healthy food. This is a huge challenge especially if the market does not pay fair. In the report, the researcher details the typical costs and profits allocated to each part of the chain from farmer/grower, through intermediaries and processors to the retailers.
Read the full article here
The link to the report is on this page link also.


text:
If Woodrow Wilson High School wins Kohl’s $500,000 school prize, the school should buy iPads for every student to boost learning, Woodrow teacher and yearbook sponsor Michael Moran says. So Moran has begun a campaign to make Woodrow one of the top 20 vote-getters among public and private schools in the U.S. The Kohl’s retail chain is sponsoring the contest as part of a 10th anniversary celebration of its philanthropic program, and voting continues through Sept. 3.
To vote for Woodrow’s idea, you’ll have to visit Facebook and vote for the school; according to the rules, each person can vote up to 20 times in the contest, although you can only vote for one school five times. I visited the website where you can vote, and once you get to the actual voting link, it’s pretty quick and painless. Note to those who are stingy online with personal information: Kohl’s requires voters to “like” Kohl’s on Facebook prior to being eligible to vote. I’m sure that by liking Kohl’s, you’ll wind up receiving some communications from the company. I don’t believe you can vote for Woodrow unless you have a Facebook account, either.
Click to sign up for the Advocate's weekly news digest and be the first to know what’s happening in Lakewood/East Dallas.


text:
Vulnerabilities in Adobe's software could have allowed unauthorized remote code execution or remote read access.
Facebook locked some users out of their accounts after determining that their log-in credentials were exposed as a result of a security breach at Adobe.
The engineer who oversaw development of Apple's Siri technology is now at Samsung building an online service for linking together the "Internet of things."
Brainshark's SlideShark app for viewing and showing PowerPoint presentations on iOS devices has been downloaded more than 2 million times.
The two sides will start jury selection Nov. 12 in San Jose, California. The trial will begin immediately after the jury selection.
With the arrival of the iPhone 5s, Apple regained its spot among the top five smartphone makers in China during the third quarter.
The new tools announced Tuesday bring more of the features that are already on Google’s Android-based search app to iOS devices.
Apple plans to build a components plant in Mesa, Arizona, that will run entirely on renewable energy.
Android tablets may be on the rise in China, but that hasn't halted enthusiasm for Apple's new iPad.
Android tablets drove tablet sales growth in the third quarter of 2013. Apple’s iPad shipments were flat, and Windows tablets continued to struggle, according to two research reports.
Taiwan is demanding Apple revise its mapping software and remove a label that describes the island as a province of China, rather than as a sovereign state.
Samsung Electronics continued to dominate the smartphone market in the third quarter, which also saw quarterly shipments cross 250 million for the first time, according to research firm Strategy Analytics.
The privacy-aware geolocation project will use publicly available cell tower and Wi-Fi signals.
Apple had been accused of infringing a patent relating to CDMA and HSPA communications technologies, but a federal jury ruled in the company's favor.
Like Apple, rival Samsung is apologizing to Chinese consumers after the country's state media criticized the vendor for failing to fix glitches in several of its phones.